User blog:Victory the NightWing/Starkit's Prophecy 2: The Two Siblings (Chapters Five and Six)
A/N: Again, the story I was reading (rehost) cut off at Chapter 3, so it's pretty much improvising here. Chapter Five: Battle of the Clans "For Crimsonpaw!" ''Angelpaw howled, racing right beside Rainstar as they charged into the small clearing serving as a camp. Her ears were flattened to her skull, and she was running as fast as she could go. She ''still ''couldn't believe it was her first day as an apprentice, and she was already attacking a Clan! Now, her blue eyes were wide as she searched the camp. ''Come on, come on! ''she thought urgently, her claws sheathing and unsheathing. Just one hint of a black coat, just one glance from scarlet eyes, just one ''hint ''that her sister was alive. It had been tearing her apart ever since she had noticed Crimsonpaw's absence. What if she'd been...no. That couldn't happen. Angelpaw refused to be alone, not after the death of Whitestar and Quailfeather that she remembered so impossibly. "Crimsonpaw!" she cried out, finally seeing the world around her. This was a ''BATTLE. ''There were cats zooming past her with their claws out, there were cats streaming around yowling for death. There was even a red-brown tom who couldn't have been older than seven moons grappling with Spiderleaf! Angelpaw's tail dropped to the ground, and she grabbed the earth below her. "Crimsonpaw!" she yelled again, bracing herself against the dirt under her paws. Angelpaw cried out, cats brushing harshly past her. ''What was I thinking?! ''Her claws dug into the ground. Rainstar was nowhere to be seen as she scanned the crowd. Suddenly, the white cat's heart stopped as she locked gazes with an apprentice near the leader's den... ''Crimsonpaw! Crimsonpaw was running away from a sandy yellow she-cat, her eyes wide as maple leaves. She let out a loud, surprised gasp, and made a beeline toward the white apprentice. Leaping midair, she crashed into the blue-eyed cat's side and choked out a half-cry, half-scream. "You!" she exclaimed, pressing into Angelpaw's side in the midst of the battle. "I thought for sure they'd never let me near you again!" Angelpaw could sense herself already feeling better. She cried out joyously, turning to face the battle, and her face fell. Feather was cornered by a hissing, spitting brown tom, and there was a noise behind her that sounded like Firepaw howling, "GET YOUR CLAWS AWAY FROM MY MENTOR!". Crimsonpaw's smile was gone, as was the whole happiness in the world, it seemed. The hairs on Angelpaw's neck bristled. "What--" And then she was on the ground, claws pricking her skin, snarling from above. Her face was smushed against the dirt, her fur ruffled in uncomfortable places, her body immobile. She couldn't move, but she attempted a yell for help. From the sound of above, Crimsonpaw was trying and failing to oblige. She felt a sudden flame of pain from above, and she guessed she was bleeding on one shoulder. Angelpaw rolled over to see a ginger tom yowling as he attempted to shove a gray tabby off of her back, and then Crimsonpaw was there, too, yanking her onto her paws. "Run!" Angelpaw sprinted to the clearing's edge, breathing hard. Maybe it was more than just a ''few scratches, she thought, collapsing onto the ground. Crimsonpaw was beside her, glaring out onto the battle. But there was something strange in the black cat's red eyes. Was it...fear? ''Never seen that before, ''Angelpaw thought as Firepaw joined them, sitting near the edge. "Crimsonpaw? Angelpaw?" Firepaw asked, leaning forward. His eyes were wide, his ears pricked. He looked like he wanted to scoop them up and carry them back to ThunderClan himself, but wasn't strong enough. "Are you okay?" "I could ask you the smae thing!" Crimsonpaw fired back, glaring at him. She sighed, her gaze softening as she draped her tail over Angelpaw's. Angelpaw noted how Crimsonpaw looked...guilty? Perhaps it was that the black cat didn't want to scream at her rescuers. Firepaw sighed, looking out over the crowd. He seemed hurt. "I just..." The ginger tom trailed off, glancing throughout the cats. Angelpaw pitied him; the poor cat was trapped in a battle he didn't know how to end, with teammates who shouldn't even have been within fifty tail-lengths of fighting. Suddenly, he shot up and sprinted across the clearing, giving no explaination whatsoever. Crimsonpaw scowled, laying down to clean at a few small cuts she'd sustained. Angelpaw sat up, sheathing and unsheathing her claws as she looked over the clouds far above. ''The prophecy... ''she thought, eyeing a tree. ''What could it possibly mean? "Glowing spirit"? "Crimson night"? "Deadly trees"? '' "Angelpaw, look out!" Crimsonpaw howled, snapping her out of her daze. The young cat turned to see the same huge gray tom storming in her direction, his eyes determined to grab her. Suddenly, Angelpaw's shoulder flared with pain like fire gripping her in its burning, sizzling claws, pushing her down like a huge wave rippling across the lake. ''"Ack!" ''she yelped, her knees buckling as she tried to run toward Rainstar. ''"H-h...help..." Her ears were pricked, listening for something, anything, to hold on to. Her tail hit the ground first, causing her to fall and be trampled. She cried out, but to no avial. A flash of brown, a snarl like thunder. "Angelpaw!" Snakepaw's voice growled. The white cat blinked up, startled at the brightness, to see an apprentice a quarter-moon older than her leaping over her, attempting to help. Bewildered, Angelpaw froze with fear as a cream-yellow she-cat, like the inside of an apple, collided with Snakepaw midair. It was all teeth and claws, fur flying as they sparred. Snakepaw attempted a bank, but the she-cat wasn't having it. "Wait!" Angelpaw cried, watching in horror as the opponent threw the skinny, little apprentice aside as though he were a pebble. She sank her fangs into his front leg, letting lose an angry, bearlike growl. Angelpaw tried to lunge at them, tried to pull Snakepaw away, but the she-cat was fast, smacking her to the side. OW! ''Angelpaw's mind screeched as she collided with a huge stone. Everything went black. ... Claws. Teeth. Snarls. "You," spat the ginger tom as he leaned over the apple-colored she-cat, "will never, ''ever touch my brother again. Do you understand? Never. If I catch you within one tail-lengh, ''you are going to severely regret it." He swung his tail back, lightly dustling Angelpaw's face as she sat up, pain flaring throughout her skull. He didn't seem to notice. The cream she-cat was pinned under his massive paws, her eyes widening in fear, surprise, and anger all at the same time. She tried to wriggle away, but as far Angelpaw saw, she wasn't going to escape the tom anytime soon. "Let me go," she hissed. "You're only an apprentice. Do you think you'd really beat me if I...wasn't...pretending..." But her position proved that was a lie. As Angelpaw sat, completely frozen with fear, the orange cat lifted a paw. He let a growl escape his throat, causing the she-cat pinned under him to flinch. "I don't want to see you hurting anyone I love. Not Snakepaw, not Tumbleleg, not Crimsonpaw! You...you've caused a lot of trouble." He paused. "You need to learn a lesson." Angelpaw's eyes were as wide as lakes. ''"NO!" ''she cried, lunging to pull the ginger off of the she-cat. But she was too slow, as he raised his claws and prepared to strike right on her face. His pearly, pointed white teeth were showing, his ears flattened, his jaw dropping in an exagerrated hiss. "Stop! ''Firepaw, stop!" ''Angelpaw howled, jumping and shoving Firepaw as she leaped. He glared at her with a savage, angry, bloodthirsty glare straight out of the stories of BloodClan Weaselwhisker used to tell. Firepaw gasped, seeing Angelpaw's face. "I..." he said, all bloodlust gone. His hostage was gone, his tail dropping steadily to the ground. Angelpaw's ears were glued to her scalp, and she was shivering as he said, "This...this isn't what it looks like, I promise. I'm--" Angelpaw was shuffling backwards. ''You're dangerous! ''her mind wailed. ''Y-y-y-you'll hurt me! Firepaw's gaze made her freeze. "Angelpaw," he stated gently. "I'm not a monster. I just...wanted to protect you. All of you, that's it. I promise. I won't let you, or anyone in our Clan, get hurt, okay? Okay? Please, I never meant to...to...go that ''far...Angelpaw." She never received a chance to reply, however. "ThunderClan!" howled Rainstar, her voice urgent. "We've done enough, ''we've done enough. ''Retreat, retreat!" All at once, the sea of cats receded into the forest. Angelpaw looked back once to the that she-cat--the one with the apple fur--slinking into the trees, the opposite direction. ''I'd leave, too, if I'd gone through that... ''she thought, hurrying to catch up to Crimsonpaw and flicking her tail. She still couldn't believe she'd witnessed a battle, and ''fought ''in it. Her, Angelpaw, the fighter. She shuddered, glancing down. ''But I don't want to be like Firepaw... "Rainstar?" she called, walking alongside her leader. "W-w-why did RiverClan do that?" Rainstar looked down, flicking one ear in an almost bored way. "Angelpaw," she said, as though she was struggling to contain an outburst of insults. She sighed, hurrying the group ahead as they made their way deeper into the forest. "Don't you know? About those cats we...fixed?" She paused. "That wasn't RiverClan, Angelpaw. That was a new Clan entirely." Chapter Six: Crimsonpaw hurried to keep up, her small paws eventually landing her inside the camp. She sniffed the air, allowing her tail to drift higher and higher, her ears to prick, and her pelt to bristle and unbristle. Her mind was racing. We fought a battle! This is amazing! I've only just been apprenticed, and already I helped ambush a camp! ...wait. I ''caused ''this. Wh...WHAT. "Gorsepuddle, Feather, you'll be on dusk patrol with Frostleap and Parsleypaw," Rainstar called from the Highledge, pulling Crimsonpaw out of her daze. "Blueheart. You and I are to have a meeting, understood? We have to discuss...this new Clan." ''Anyone could tell she was clearly biting back a hiss. Crimsonpaw wondered briefly what that was about before the leader and deputy disappeared into the den. ''What should I do? ''Crimsonpaw wondered, sitting in the camp's center with her tail curled around her jet-black paws. She had nothing to do, apart from asking if she could go with Gorsepuddle's group. But that would require her mentor... ''Shudder. "Crimsonpaw," called a hoarse, gravelly voice. The apprentice swallowed hard. Nopenopenope! ''she thought, turning to see Halfpelt suantering in her direction. His huge, batlike ears swiveled in an almost sickening way, with no fur to cover every muscle moving in his face. He glanced at the cat he was supposed to be teaching, as though not even bothering to remember her appearance. "Mm. So I'm gonna hafta teach ya how to hunt. Get up, we're gonna train." Every muscle in Crimsonpaw's body was practically screaming, "NO!" at this time. But she heaved a long, weary sigh and stood to follow her teacher. "Where are we going?" she asked, turning one ear in the direction of Rainstar's den, eager to here any news. She half expected, half knew she was imagining, for him to say they were headed for the training clearing. "Oh." Halfpelt yawned. "You go hunt." Crimsonpaw's jaw dropped. "W...what?" she yelled, not even caring about the noise she made. "I don't know how to hunt! That's your job. To teach me!" Halfpelt looked around. "Eh. Well, I'm gonna go out and hunt ''myself, ''then," he said, shooting her a dirty look before waltzing out the camp's entrance. Crimsonpaw wasn't sad to see him go, her pelt instead bristling as she glared after him. ''Good riddance. She sighed, trotting over to the nursery to see if Moontail was there, or if Stonekit wanted to play mossball. Stonekit was probably the ''least ''insufferable of the three resident kits, with Pinekit and Vinekit taking the role of the rude ones. "Moontail?" called the she-cat, poking her head into the bracken. "Are you in here?" "Crimsonpaw?" replied a voice that was definitely not Moontail. Firepaw turned, his eyes wide. He laughed nervously. "I was, uh..." He sighed. "Fixing the moss. I got in trouble." Crimsonpaw tilted her head, feeling ears prick. "Trouble?" she echoed. "Why?" Firepaw was the type to stick close to his friends, never doing anything rude to anyone apart from those who hurt them. He was typically near Snakepaw, or his mother, Redheart. Firepaw shifted nervously. "It's not important," he said quietly. But his gaze softened quite a bit, and he gave in. "Snakepaw got hurt, so I tried to help. I made it worse. Please don't ask..." He trailed off, allowing his tail to droop as he scooted past the black she-cat into the main camp. "It's fine." But Crimsonpaw wasn't having any of that. She followed after him, prodding his side with her sleek midnight tail. "You're a mouse-brain," she stated calmly, squeezing past him into the clearing that served as ThunderClan's camp. "But you're a brave mouse-brain. You deserve a rest. You'll be meeting me at the lake's shore." He cracked a smile. "Is that a request?" "No," Crimsonpaw said, already leaving camp. ... Crimsonpaw and Firepaw were stretched out near the shoreline, in the grass. "See?" Crimsonpaw pointed out, rolling over onto her back and waving towards the stars. "Doesn't that feel nicer? Even mouse-brains need a rest, or some fun once in a while." She was still not over the fact that this was only her second time out of camp. Firepaw laughed, looking to the sky. "Yes, all hail the amazing Crimsonpaw. She shall lead us one day!" he cried, snorting back a giggle. He flicked an ear back, and all was silent. The sun was setting by this time, so it cast a warm orange glow onto Crimsonpaw's fur. She purred. "That sounds about right." They watched the sunset for a while. Crimsonpaw was quite satisfied she had convinced Firepaw to rest himself. Suddenly, Firepaw turned. "Look at all the stars," he muttered. His green eyes were bright, like sparks in a forest fire. Crimsonpaw glanced skyward, drawn by his sudden sentence. ''Wow. ''The stars shimmered in a million shades of silver, it seemed. StarClan must have blessed them with a brilliant night to celebrate their victory. "Do you think we'll ever be up there?" Firepaw ased suddenly. ''What? ''thought Crimsonpaw. "Well," she said slowly, "of course we will, fox-for-brains! What made you say that?" He shrugged. "Let's go back to camp," he suggested, standing suddenly. Crimsonpaw was a bit startled, but didn't argue, instead trailing after Firepaw through the shadowed forest and back to their home, warm memories in the back of her mind. ----- A/N: Halfpelt was not meant to offend anyone in any way. He was originally named Mari*ju*naskin (censored because we're not allowed to reference d**gs), did he**in, and was generally a very rude hairless cat. A/N: Wow, these chapters were fun to write! I didn't like how Firepaw was basically a carbon copy of Firestar, though...so I changed him quite a bit, if you'll recall. He also has a bit of a Thistleclaw-streak there...(but without, y'know, the Spottedpaw thing...*shudder*) Category:Blog posts